Cave Dwelling Tourism in Turkey’s Historic Ancient Cities – The New Trend

Since May 15 this year, Chinese nationals can travel to Turkey visa-free. Just log in online, pay €15 or $20, and you can stay for up to 30 days. Domestic travel agencies have launched early-bird summer promotions in response to the visa exemption. By registering and paying 30 days in advance, the second traveler can save NT$6,000. The itinerary will also include visits to the world-famous Pamukkale, Ephesus, and Hagia Sophia, and guests will stay in cave-style hotels, allowing them to fully experience the cultural heritage and scenic beauty of this ancient city.

Turkey’s renowned Hagia Sophia is widely known for its distinctive dome and minaret exterior, but few are familiar with the fascinating story behind it. According to common accounts, Emperor Constantine the Great was able to capture Constantinople and establish the Eastern Roman Empire because one day, he saw a cross of light appearing in the darkening sky. That night, Christ appeared to him and commanded him to create a cross of the same shape to lead his army, assuring him that it would guarantee victory in capturing the city. Constantine followed the instruction and indeed won the battle. Not only did Constantine establish Christianity as the state religion, but his son also ordered the construction of Hagia Sophia. Until the Ottoman Turks converted it into a mosque, Hagia Sophia, despite suffering damage from earthquakes and fires, continued to serve as the principal church of the Eastern Roman Empire. It is considered the church that best showcases the glory of Greek Orthodoxy and the power of the Eastern Roman Empire, as well as the pinnacle of Byzantine architecture. However, when Sultan Mehmed II captured Constantinople, then the most important stronghold of Christianity, he “deliberately” targeted Hagia Sophia. He removed the altar, Christian icons, relics, and painted over the mosaics, replacing them with crescent moons, a Quran reading stand, a mihrab for prayers facing Mecca, and added Islamic minarets. The only thing that remained unchanged was its name—the “Wisdom of God.”

 

From a church to a mosque, and now to a structure where the symbols of both religions coexist peacefully, those who built and renovated Hagia Sophia were among the finest architects of the Christian and Islamic worlds, especially Sinan, who was tasked with altering Hagia Sophia’s religious character, and the Swiss Fossati brothers in the late 19th century. Sinan, the greatest architect of the Islamic world, restored Hagia Sophia after it had been damaged by the Fourth Crusade in the early 13th century and could not be fully restored. He incorporated Byzantine square layouts and domed cross structures, adding new Ottoman elements to the existing framework. The Hagia Sophia we see today is largely the result of major renovations by the Fossati brothers, who reportedly spent the equivalent of two million US dollars on the project. The marble columns glow with cool, dazzling emerald hues under sunlight, while the golden mosaics shine brilliantly, clearly reflecting the scenes of Ottoman worship.

Cave hotels with unique charm are the signature “local specialty” of Cappadocia. Since the development of tourism in Cappadocia, more and more locals and outsiders have transformed the caves once inhabited by ancient Cappadocians into hotels, homestays, restaurants, and teahouses, becoming a major highlight for visitors exploring Cappadocia.